Johan woke up and looked at the clock on his nightstand.
Yah! It's just 11 o'clock, he thought groggily, rubbing his eyes. I can sleep for a little bit more. I just need to make lunch for Amili and Armin before they get hungry.
He had barely closed his eyes again when,
THUMP! THUMP! THUMP!
Armin came rushing toward his room, his small feet pattering urgently against the wooden floor. The door burst open without a knock.
"Doctor, Doctor, it's an emergency!" Armin shouted, his young voice high and panicked.
Johan opened the door slowly, rubbing his eyes and barely suppressing a yawn. "What? What? What emergency has come?"
"Doctor, Aunty Nina is waiting outside the gate!" Armin replied breathlessly, his eyes wide with the kind of fear that only a child could muster when facing an unexpected adult visitor.
Johan's entire body went rigid.
His mouth fell open. His eyes widened. For a moment, he simply stared at Armin in absolute disbelief.
"This is an emergency for me…" he screamed internally, his mind already spiralling into panic.
He quickly closed the door to his room, locking it as if that would somehow protect him from the inevitable.
Jennifer scratched her head, sighing deeply. She had heard the commotion and already knew what—or rather, who—had arrived. She made her way downstairs and went to open the gate.
"Good morning, Aunty. Why didn't you come to the birthday party?" Jennifer greeted the woman standing at the gate, trying to sound cheerful despite the early hour.
The woman standing there was Nina, Lina Bennett's elder sister. She looked to be roughly the same age as Jennifer—perhaps thirty at most—but she was actually far older. She is also a mage. Working as a freelance journalist.
She wore a beautiful gown in deep emerald, perfectly tailored, and a fashionable Cloche hat that marked her as someone of considerable means and taste.
The mages can never appear older than thirty. No matter how many centuries they've lived.
"Hm! What is the date?" Nina asked Jennifer, her tone sharp and deliberate.
"14 July," Jennifer answered, puzzled by the strange question.
"What is the year?" Nina asked another question, her voice dripping with something that sounded almost like a taunt.
"1922. Aunty, what happened? Do you have any problems with memorisation? You might need to take therapy from Johan," Jennifer said with genuine care, though her stomach was already beginning to twist with worry. She knew that look. That tone. Nina had something planned.
"I am not old yet. My memory is perfect," Nina replied sharply. "I think your memory has a problem."
"You two were born in 1897, and your age two is 25," Nina stated loudly, as if this were a court judgment being handed down.
"Aunty, what happened? Have I forgotten something? Is it a special day?"
"Most people of your age are already married," Nina said, her voice carrying the weight of expectation and familial duty. "Now enough. I arranged a date for you two to show your future partners for marriage."
Jennifer's eyes widened in pure horror.
"D-d-date? No! No! No! No! No!" Jennifer protested, shaking her head vigorously, her entire body going rigid with panic.
"Listen, I have found the best boy for you and the best girl for Johan. Now get ready soon," Nina said, moving past Jennifer with angry determination. She walked directly into the mansion and headed toward Johan's room with the single-minded purpose of a woman who would not be denied.
She's serious. Oh God, she's completely serious, Jennifer thought, following helplessly in her wake.
Nina stopped at Johan's door and knocked sharply. "Johan... open the door and get ready."
From inside, Jennifer could hear Johan's internal scream. Finally, he opened the door, trembling visibly with fear. "Good morning..."
"Do you remember what day it is?" Nina asked him, her voice angry and disappointed.
"Yeah, I get ready in just 2 to 3 minutes," Johan replied sadly, already backing away and closing the door in surrender.
"Johan, I suppose you refuse to go," Jennifer said disappointedly, having followed Nina upstairs.
"Jennifer, you are a girl. You need more time to get ready," Nina said loudly, her tone brooking no argument. "We need to be present at Restaurant Clesever before lunchtime. Go now."
"What about the lunch of Amili and Armin?" Jennifer asked weakly.
"That's why I came here. Go now!" Nina replied even more loudly, her commanding voice so powerful that in the library below, Amili and Armin trembled at the sheer force of her will.
An hour later, the mansion had transformed.
Nina had served food at the dining table with practised efficiency. Now she sat in Johan's therapy room, looking at a family photo frame that showed Johan, Joseph, and Jennifer laughing together in happier times.
"They grow up, Lina," Nina said softly to the photograph, her voice tinged with bittersweet affection. "Your birds have grown up."
Jennifer entered the room, and Nina's breath caught.
She looked stunning in a golden color gown that caught the light like liquid honey. A flowered straw hat perched on her head added just the right touch of elegance. She moved with the grace of someone who had been born to wear such finery.
Nina found a glimpse of Lina—her beloved sister, lost to time and sacrifice—in Jennifer's appearance. The resemblance was uncanny, heartbreaking.
"Jennifer, you look like your mother today," Nina said in surprise, her voice cracking slightly. She became emotional for a brief moment, blinking back tears as memories of her sister washed over her.
Johan also came in, and Nina's attention shifted.
He wore his father's best Tuxedo, complete with a crisp bow tie. The cut was impeccable, the fabric rich and dark. He adjusted his jacket with unconscious elegance.
"How do I look?" Johan asked them, the picture of masculine refinement.
"The most handsome man in the city," Nina praised him, beaming with genuine pride.
"Do you wear father's Tuxedo?" Jennifer asked him, noticing the familiar cut and style.
"Mother gave me all of Father's clothes," Johan replied, giving his signature gentle smile. "She wanted everybody to remember him, just by seeing them."
Jennifer and Nina quickly looked away, both suddenly embarrassed.
Why are we blushing? It's just Johan, Jennifer questioned herself, though her face was already burning.
I know, but he is truly handsome, Nina replied silently, sharing a knowing glance with Jennifer that neither would acknowledge aloud.
They walked along the streets toward Restaurant Clesever, and the effect was immediate and undeniable.
Everyone stared at them in amazement. Johan and Jennifer looked incredibly beautiful, shining like a glaze in the city—two jewels walking through the ordinary streets, their presence lifting the very atmosphere around them. Men and women alike turned to watch them pass.
"Don't let the boys look at you," Nina told Jennifer, trying to hide Jennifer's face slightly, though her protective gesture was both futile and endearing.
"Just tell them she is Jennifer. They'll look away on their own," Johan said sarcastically to Jennifer, a smirk playing on his lips. His voice carried an edge that suggested he was more than capable of making anyone regret looking at his sister for too long.
When they heard the name Jennifer, two men on the street immediately turned their heads away, acting as though they hadn't noticed her. The reputation clearly preceded her—the infamous Jennifer Bennet was not someone whose attention one wanted to attract. That is because of her infamous boyfriend, Eloise. Eloise loved her so. Although Jennifer is the most beautiful in town, Eloise's anger is even more terrifying. He protects his love from others by his terror, even though he was not there.
"By the way, girls have been staring at you for a long time," Jennifer said, sounding annoyed. "You also need to hide his face."
"Ugh! I'm tired, and I need to sleep," Johan pleaded dramatically, throwing his hands up in exasperation. "Aunt, I already love someone. Please just leave me alone."
Nina grabbed his collar and said angrily, "Listen, dear Nephew. I worked so hard to find this match for you. If you refuse, it will be your worst nightmare."
"Okay, okay," Johan replied, visibly scared by the force of her determination.
"Oi! Truly tell me, who are you waiting for?" Jennifer whispered close to his ear, her eyes gleaming with mischief. "Is it Emma?"
"No, this is not what you are thinking. She is my patient. I don't have such a feeling for her," Johan replied loudly, his denial perhaps a bit too vehement.
"Is it Freya?" Jennifer asked again, but this time loudly—loud enough that Nina could hear.
"That woman is already married to Arthur, and they even have a child. Forget about her," Nina warned him sharply.
"Jennifer, should I tell Aunt Nina about you and Eloise?" Johan shot back, his eyes gleaming with playful revenge.
"Eeee!" Jennifer looked at Nina with sudden fear, realising she'd walked directly into his counterattack.
"Eloise Josephine, is it?" Nina's voice became ice. "You are Alexander Baros's daughter. Don't you know about the deep feud between these two families? He is the direct son of Vlad Josephine. Now, forget about him in any case."
The name hung in the air like a curse.
"Aunt, he isn't like that. He respects my father, and he is a very gentle man," Jennifer defended Eloise, her voice soft but firm.
"No matter what he is, he is a Josephine. I can't put you in that kind of danger, my only niece," Nina said, taking both of them by the hand and pulling them along with renewed urgency.
They reached Restaurant Clesever, which glowed with understated elegance. A waiter approached them immediately, his professional smile unwavering.
"Good afternoon, welcome to the Restaurant Clesever. How can I help you?" the waiter greeted them.
"Reserve a table for seven people," Nina instructed the waiter.
"Okay, Madam, as you wish."
They settled in at a private table, awaiting the others. Nina rose, addressing Johan and Jennifer with the gravity of someone delivering crucial information.
"Listen closely. Call me your cousin sister, not Aunt, as 'Aunt' feels rather... inconvenient," Nina said. "We, the people of the world of life, can't appear older than 30. Therefore, we must conceal our true identities from ordinary humans. I'll be bringing them in shortly."
Johan and Jennifer nodded their heads fearfully in agreement.
After a few minutes, Nina returned with their guests: a twin brother-sister, along with their parents. They took seats across from Johan and Jennifer. The new arrivals were clearly from a good family—their bearing was refined, their clothes impeccable.
"Johan and Jennifer, let me introduce our guests," Nina said formally. "He is Crist Frege, a lawyer; his sister, Cristina Frege, who recently finished her Master's of Arts; and their parents, Mr and Mrs Frege."
"And these are my cousins: Johan Bennet, a psychiatrist and a kind gentleman, and Jennifer Bennet, a sergeant and medicine expert."
After the introduction, Nina talked with the guests for a long time, but Johan and Jennifer remained mostly silent, communicating through glances and subtle gestures.
Jennifer whispered in Nina's ear. "Aunty, how did you find these twins for us?"
"With so much hard work. This is the chance to get you married at the same time. They are one of the respected families in the city," Nina replied. "And call me sister."
"Can I ask her some questions?" Crist asked Nina, referring to Jennifer.
"Yes, yes, you can ask any question about Jennifer. In fact, there is a park nearby. You can go there with her and talk with her," Nina told him eagerly, already orchestrating the romantic encounters with the precision of a master strategist.
"Johan, you can also go there with Cristina," Nina told Johan.
"Yes, sister," they replied together, though their tones suggested resignation more than enthusiasm.
In the park, Jennifer and Crist sat on a wooden bench beneath the shade of old trees.
"Are you comfortable?" Crist asked her gently.
"Yeah, yeah," Jennifer replied nervously, her fingers fidgeting in her lap.
Meanwhile, Johan and Cristina walked together through the winding paths of the park. The late morning sun filtered through the leaves, creating patterns of light and shadow on the ground.
Cristina suddenly told him, "I am a big fan of your mother."
"Oh! That's nice," Johan said, genuinely surprised.
"People found a painting of your mother in Deuchasland. In the painting, a boy was helping a pigeon and a crow. Was that boy you?" Cristina asked him with genuine curiosity.
"No, I guess it wasn't me," Johan replied. I guess it was Adrian, he whispered in his mind, the name of his previous life bitter on his mental tongue.
"She is one of the famous artists in the whole continent. I really like these artistic things. I love to make novels," Cristina continued, opening up. "But my parents can't understand my thoughts. They always compare me with my brother, though. I'm not like him, and it annoys me."
Johan understood that feeling all too well—the weight of expectations, the comparisons, the pressure to be what others needed rather than what you were.
"Let's sit on the park swing," Johan suggested, quickly changing the subject and moving toward the swings, wanting to lift the melancholy that had settled over their conversation.
"Mr. Johan, is that safe?" Cristina asked him, eyeing the swings with some trepidation.
"It looks risky for a moment, but it's fun. Just like we take some different decisions than others," Johan said with a smile. "Sometimes the risk is worth the reward."
They sat on the swing.
"When Jennifer and I were little, we spent most of our time trying to climb trees," Johan explained, his eyes growing distant with memory. "Mother always worried about us, but soon she started supporting us. I asked her once, 'You used to stop us from climbing. Now, why do you help us?' She said, 'We should have been born as birds. We have always been in trees. God made us humans by mistake.' She also started climbing trees with us."
Cristina listened intently, tears forming in her eyes at the beauty and simplicity of his words.
"My mother always tells me that parents always worry about us. They think we can't choose our own path, which is why they compare us to others," Johan continued, his voice growing stronger. "But when they see we are curious about something, they always help us directly or indirectly."
"Wow, your mother sounds amazing," Cristina said softly, looking down at her hands.
"If my parents were like that. They only see my brother's success. Everything I do, they measure it against his success," Cristina told Johan, sadly.
"That's a big achievement," Johan said, and his words seemed to carry more weight than they should. "Does art make you happy?"
"That's easy for you to say. You're Johan Bennet. Do you ever feel pressure to be perfect, though? Since your mother was so brilliant?" she replied, her voice lighter now.
"Why, I can be perfect in my own way," Johan replied with a confident smile that seemed to light up his entire face.
His words created a flicker of hope in her eyes—hope that she, too, could carve out her own path, define her own success.
"So, what is your purpose, Dr. Bennet?" Cristina asked, turning slightly toward him with a genuine smile.
"Bringing the smile back to my little brother's face," Johan replied without hesitation.
The simplicity and sincerity of his answer were devastating. This was a man who had organised his entire existence around love and protection.
They increased the height of their swing, enjoying the rush of wind and the sensation of flight. "You are truly the world's best psychiatrist," Cristina said, her voice filled with gratitude and something else—admiration, perhaps, or the beginning of genuine affection.
Back on the bench, Crist was watching Johan and Cristina on the swings. He turned to Jennifer with sudden realisation.
"Hey, first time I've seen my sister so happy. He is perfect for my sister," Crist said, a genuine smile crossing his face.
"Yeah, that's why I call him best phychitrist in the world," Jennifer told him, smiling in return. There was something wistful in her voice—the tone of someone watching happiness bloom in others while her own heart remained elsewhere.
Crist reached out and gently grabbed Jennifer's hand. "Miss Jennifer, do you accept our family's proposal?"
Jennifer looked at their joined hands, then back at Crist's hopeful face. She thought of Eloise, of the family complications, of the responsibilities waiting at home. She thought of Joseph unconscious somewhere, of the larger threats gathering in the shadows.
"Sorry, neither of us is ready," Jennifer replied gently.
"But why?" Crist asked, genuinely puzzled.
"We adopted seven orphan kids. We have to take care of them, and also my younger brother. And I already love somebody. Even Johan loves somebody. Sister Nina forcefully took us here," Jennifer explained to him with honesty.
Crist was quiet for a moment, processing this revelation. Then he smiled—a genuine, understanding smile that spoke of maturity and grace.
"The person whom you love must be the world's happiest," Crist said simply.
He walked over to Johan and Cristina, who had finally stopped the swing.
"Hey, your date went well?" Crist asked them.
The swing stopped moving. Crist whispered in Cristina's ear, "Johan loves somebody."
Cristina looked at Johan, then smiled—not disappointed, but understanding. "I will talk with your sister. Don't worry."
They all returned to the restaurant table. Jennifer took a huge, bracing breath and loudly said to Nina, "Sorry, my brother and I cannot accept this proposal."
All the Frege family members, including Nina, froze in absolute shock.
Jennifer quickly added, "We are simply not ready for marriage. Sister Nina, please forgive us. We have so many responsibilities, especially concerning Joseph."
Nina suddenly stood up from her chair, her voice rising. "Jennifer!"
But Jennifer was already moving toward the door, where Johan had mysteriously disappeared moments before. She understood—her brother had made his escape, and she needed to follow.
"Where is Johan?" Nina asked, her anger mounting.
Jennifer looked around wildly. "Where is Johan?"
"I think he is still outside," Cristina replied calmly, a knowing smile on her face.
Jennifer rushed outside. She looked out at the road and saw that Johan was already running away quickly, his tuxedo and bow tie flying in the wind as he sprinted down the street.
"Hey, Johan, you always put me first in any dangerous situation!" Jennifer shouted playfully, grabbing the skirt of her golden gown and running after him. For a moment, the weight of their responsibilities, their dark secrets, their impossible situations—all of it fell away. They were just two siblings fleeing a meddling aunt, laughing as they ran through the city streets.
Cristina stood and waved goodbye to the fleeing pair. "Fly like a bird!"
Johan, without stopping, waved back with a grin. "You too!"
Nina emerged from the restaurant, her hands on her hips. "Aren't these two grown up yet? They always act like kids," she said in exasperation, though there was affection beneath her irritation.
Soon, Jennifer and Johan reached the safety of the Jardin Paisible. They both stopped inside the gate, panting heavily, their formal clothes dishevelled from the run.
"Is she coming behind us?" Jennifer asked Johan, breathless and laughing.
"I guess no," Johan gasped, leaning over with his hands on his knees.
Jennifer opened the reception room door and entered, still catching her breath. For a moment, everything felt normal again—just the two of them, safe in their sanctuary.
Then the telephone nearby rang.
DRING! DRING! DRING! DRING!
The sound shattered the peace of their laughter.
Jennifer snatched up the call, her voice still light from their escape. "Yes, it is Jardin Paisible. How can I help you?"
Her expression changed instantly.
All colour drained from her face. Her hand began to tremble. The phone nearly slipped from her grip.
She rushed toward Johan, her expression pale and terrified. Her voice came out as a whisper, but it carried the weight of absolute dread.
"Johan, something happened with Joseph at the school. He is now at the hospital. We have to go now."
Fear and worry immediately clouded Johan's face, replacing the joy of their escape. All the happiness of the morning evaporated like morning mist.
"Joseph," Johan whispered, his entire body going rigid with concern.
They had left him at school, thinking he was safe.
They had no idea what had happened in the library.
They had no way of knowing that their little brother had just faced his own past, that the Lord of Knowledge had sacrificed his power for Joseph's life, that a disciple's hatred had been transformed into shame and regret.
All they knew was that Joseph was found unconscious in the school library, and now he was in the hospital.
And they had to move, now.